Athletes are always putting themselves and their bodies on the line in the name of pride, glory and victory, but sometimes their bodies break down. Or, in some cases, they suffer terribly gruesome injuries at the hands of others.

The most gruesome injuries in sports

Stephen Smith

Stephen Smith suffered a gruesome injury to his ear after it was nearly ripped off during his fight in Las Vegas on Dec. 9, 2017. Smith was boxing Francisco Vargas when he got hit so hard that his ear almost tore in half. The fight was called and the results were left up to the judges, who voted in favor of Vargas. The 32-year-old British-born boxer was vying for the world title shot. Smith later thanked his fans for their support and said that he had his ear stitched back up.